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A few initial thoughts on the Monday discussion:

"Nothing has meaning besides the meaning the brain gives it." 

I believe this statement...

but I don't really know why.  I'm trying to figure it out.  I think that illusions are good evidence for this story.  For some seriously cool illusions check out Sidewalk Chalk Guy.   

Maybe it's just easier.  Instead of debating infinite possibilities, why not just come to the conclusion that all possibilities are erroneous.  Seems kind of dreary... like quitting.

Perhaps my problem with assigning inherent meaning to events/behaviors/conditions is that it implies that someone decided upon the meaning.  Who decides on the meaning of things?  God?  

I'll keep thinking about the "why" and get back to you.  

I do think that this story has interesting pragmatic implications.  If a healthcare provider approaches patient interaction in this spirit, it seems that he/she would be prepared to address the complexity of the situation and provide treatment with minimal judgement and/or preconceptions.  

One last thing... I have a question about the story of the mind being inside the brain... It seems like we are just taking it for granted that the mind is a production of the brain.  What is the evidence that the mind is actually a production of the brain?  I know that there is considerable evidence for the physiological basis of emotions, but what about thoughts/ideas and the notion of the self?  

It seems like this might be in the itinerary for next week... but I'm definitely curious to hear.  Who says neural firing causes thoughts? Why not thoughts causing neural firing?  I know this is an old (almost cliche) issue.  Has it been answered and I'm just unaware of it?